New Delhi: It was a team of 10 highly skilled doctors and nursing officers who rescued 645 Indians and 7 Maldivians citizens from Wuhan in China, which has become the epicentre of COVID-19 (novel Coronavirus).
It was a swift rescue operation being carried out by the team of medical practitioners with the help of Air India officials.
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In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Dr Pulin Gupta, professor of internal medicine at the Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya Hospital, said, "We were informed four days before that we have to go to Wuhan to evacuate Indians. Many of them were medical students, many were tourists and many people were in Wuhan for business purpose".
While sharing his experience of the entire rescue operation with ETV Bharat, Dr Gupta said that the first Air India flight carrying the rescue team went on January 31st.
"We were in the first flight, which took off from India on January 31st. There were 36 crew members. We were initially informed that we have to evacuate 200 people. Later, we were told that we need to evacuate more than 350 people...It was a Boeing 747 and we were well prepared," recalled Dr Gupta, who was felicitated by Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan for a role in the rescue operation.
"We took a lot of precautions, protective personnel equipment including mask, protective gear and emergency medicine, " added Dr Gupta.
They have also trained the Air India crew, on-board, on the necessary precautions they need to take while dealing with people.
"When we landed in China, the authorities there took maximum precautions. We saw no people there and even there was no vehicle plying on the road, the entire city was blocked," recalled Dr Gupta.
He said that the Indian Embassy evacuated all the Indians including 7 Maldivians and brought them to the Embassy.
"After propped health screening and check up all these were allowed to board...However, 6 people having major symptoms were held back at the airport," said Dr Gupta.
He said that the entire evacuation process of these people was completed in two days.
"After coming back to India we were allowed to go for 14 days home quarantine. And during these days we remain away from the family and kids," said Dr Gupta.
Meanwhile, people quarantined at the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) facility camp at Chawla started dispersing after finding negative in coronavirus test.
Officials said that about 200 people will leave for their home tonight. These 200 people include 7 Maldivians.
It is expected that all the inmates may be released by Tuesday evening.
Earlier in the day Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan visited the ITBP facility and interacted with all the people.
During the day Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also handed over the appreciation letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to all the ten doctors and paramedical staff for their relentless rescue operations.
The team of doctors and nursing staff include:
1. Dr Anand Vishal, associated professor of medicine, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
2. Dr Pulin Gupta, professor of internal medicine Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
3. Dr Yogesh Chandra Porwal, professor and consultant, internal medicine, Safdarjung Hospital
4. Dr Rupali Malik, associate professor of internal medicine Safdarjung Hospital
5. Dr Sujata Arya, Public Health specialist airport Health Organisation New Delhi
6. Dr Sanjit Panesar, assistant professor community medicine, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
7. Manu Joseph, Nursing officer, Safdarjung Hospital
8. Rajnish Kumar, nursing officer, Safdarjung Hospital
9. Ajo Jose, nursing officer, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
10. Sarath Prem, nursing officer, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
Health Ministry officials said that as on date 3,21, 375 passengers from 2,996 flights and 6,387 passengers from 125 ships screened.
As many as 2571 samples across 15 laboratories across India have been tested and only three samples have been found positive.
Two patients among the three positive cases, found in Kerala have been discharged and condition of the third one is also stable, officials said.
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Mentionable, the call centre established at the central level has got 4,400 calls among which 390 international calls had been received so far.
Health officials said that more than 360 emails have been received and responded on COVID-19.
